Sapphire Shadow
by Silverflame4761
Summary: Because of a plot to kidnap Harry Potter’s best friend, Albus Dumbledore decides she would be safer off in the protection of Professor Severus Snape. Warning: Altered character, AU. NOT slash!
1. Prologue

Rating: R, for mature themes and language  
  
Summary: Because of a plot to kidnap Harry Potter's best friend, Albus Dumbledore decides she would be safer off in the protection of Professor Severus Snape. Warning: Altered character, AU. NOT slash!  
  
Pairing: RW/SS  
  
Spoilers: All four books  
  
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Other citations will be made where necessary.  
  
A/N: This fanfic is EXTREMELY AU! I've turned Ron's character into a female. Bad Silverflame! Rondiana Weasley is tough, bitchy, and a bit conceited. Personally, I love her. She reminds me a bit of…well, me. So if you have issues with non-canon stuff, please do not torture yourself by reading this. Unless you're a masochist. In which case, keep reading, and please get some help. For all you other people out there who don't have a problem with my altered character, happy reading!  
  
*  
  
Albus Dumbledore sighed and rubbed his temples. He had a pounding headache. Yes, his life had never been exactly what you would call "relaxing", but recent events had upped his stress level from "moderate" to "extreme". Add to that the fact that very soon two of his most beloved friends would hate him with a passion, and you had a recipe for one hell of a migraine.  
  
Voldemort had regained his power two years ago. Since then, Harry Potter and his best friends Rondiana Weasley and Hermione Granger had been able to ward him off. But soon even that Terrific Trio wouldn't be able to stop the Dark Lord.  
  
Through his spy, Severus Snape, Albus had learned of Voldemort's latest plan. The Death Eaters were planning to kidnap Rondi and use her as bait to lure Harry to them. They knew Harry's character well- he would do anything, including risking his own life, to save Rondi. She was the most important thing in the world to him- the thing he would most miss. There had always been a lot of suspicion as to the true nature of their relationship ever since they had first come to Hogwarts. But Albus knew that they were only best friends, nothing more or less. Harry and Rondi had that special soul bond that usually only twins possessed. To them, the thought of being romantically involved probably seemed like incest.  
  
Be that as it may, Albus knew that it was only a matter of time before Voldemort and his little gang succeeded in their plot. He could only do so much to protect Rondi; he couldn't have his eye on her 24/7. She was seventeen years old and absolutely beautiful, for God's sake. You can't keep a girl like that tied down.  
  
Unless…  
  
She was married. And not to just anyone. To a man who would be able to hold his own in a relationship with a confident, assertive woman. A man who wouldn't be so bewitched by her good looks that he would let her walk all over him. A man who would be able to deal with Rondi's sometimes-bitchy, always forceful attitude. A man who couldn't be hypnotized by her alluring, charismatic je ne sais quoi.  
  
In other words, a man like Severus Snape. 


	2. Chapter 1

Warnings & Disclaimers in Prologue  
  
A/N: I forgot to mention this in the prologue, but I really *really* love to get reviews. They brighten my day and improve my karma. And when you improve one person's karma, you improve the world's karma. So let's make the world a better place! Okay, enough from my silly Buddhist butt, let's get on with the story!  
  
*  
  
  
  
Severus Snape was in big, big trouble. He could feel it, sense it, almost taste it in the air. It was a sixth sense he had developed around Voldemort- first as a pure Death Eater, second as a spy for the Light. It was basically a survival tactic. Perceive the danger and run. Run and live to fight another day. It was as simple as that.  
  
Too bad this threat he was feeling didn't have much to do with the Dark Lord.  
  
Granted, Voldemort *was* involved in it somehow. He was only a side character- a supporting role, if you will. But if not Voldemort, then who the hell could fill him with this sense of foreboding? Severus could only think of one other person with that power.  
  
Albus Dumbledore.  
  
*  
  
Sure enough, a few hours later Albus was knocking on Severus' door. With a sigh and a wave from his wand, Severus removed the locks from the door.  
  
"Come in," he called.  
  
Albus stepped through the door and Severus was struck with a sensation of surrealism. If he didn't know better, he'd say Albus was…nervous. Edgy, almost.  
  
Impossible. Albus was the calmest, most composed person he knew. Well, that wasn't quite true. You couldn't get much more composed than Rondiana Weasley. That was what Severus admired so much about her- she was always cool, calm, and in control. It took a lot to shake her. That was an essential quality in times of war. Pity she also happened to be a total bitch.  
  
"What can I do for you, Albus?" asked Snape. "Some tea, perhaps?"  
  
"No, no," said Albus, waving his hand dismissively. "I've only come to ask you if you'll join me in my office tomorrow afternoon."  
  
*Here we go* thought Severus. "Certainly, Albus. May I ask what this is all about?"  
  
"I'd rather wait until tomorrow, if you don't mind," said Albus. His voice quavered and Severus was suddenly struck by the thought of how old Albus was. Usually, Albus gave such an impression of youth and vitality. But in reality, the man was more than a century old!  
  
"That's perfectly all right, Albus," Severus said quickly. No need to stress the old wizard any more than he was already. "What time would you like me there?"  
  
"Three o'clock?" Albus' voice went up at the end like a question, although Severus knew better. Albus didn't ask questions, he gave orders nicely couched in question marks. If he said three o'clock, than that was the time Severus would be there.  
  
"Of course. I'll be there." 


	3. Chapter 2

Warnings & Disclaimers in the Prologue  
  
A/N: Sorry about the huge delay. I was held up with some serious computer troubles. We all know what a bother these contraptions can be. *Frowns at computer.* But it gets the job done, so who's complaining? Happy reading!  
  
*  
  
Rondiana Weasley knew something was off in Hogwarts. Although not nearly as intelligent as her friend Hermione Granger, she had enough wits to feel the tension in the air. Strangely enough, nobody else seemed to be aware of it. When she had mentioned it to Harry, he had given her an odd look and asked her if she felt okay. Since then, Rondi had been uncharacteristically quiet.  
  
She sat now in the common room, watching Harry polish his Firebolt and Hermione read a book. She herself did nothing, another atypical occurrence. Rondi was always moving, always talking, always doing *something*. Harry and Hermione had an inside joke about her; they called her the "Energizer Bunny". Rondi didn't know exactly what that meant, although she suspected it was some sort of Muggle thing. She just hoped it wasn't an insult and kept on running.  
  
But now, she seemed to have run out of steam. Every now and then, Harry would look up at her and give her another one of those odd looks. His eyes seemed to be saying, "Are you all right? What's bothering you?" Rondi spoke back to him with an, "I'm fine. Just a little tired."  
  
Ever since they had first become friends, they had shared a special bond. It was just like the one Rondi had so often observed in her twin brothers, Fred and George. She and Harry seemed to be able to communicate telepathically. Whenever one was hurt, in danger, or in distress, the other knew. It was a strange but wonderful blessing, and Rondi appreciated it with all of her being. Whatever it was, she didn't question it.  
  
Sometimes, though, it got on her nerves. Like right now, for example. She could tell that Harry wasn't buying her excuse of tiredness. He knew something else was going on and, from the look in his eyes, he was about to interrogate her. Rondi wasn't in the mood for that right now. She couldn't explain what she was feeling to herself, how could she explain to Harry, even as close as they were?  
  
Thankfully, at that moment the portrait hole swung open. Rondi turned towards it, grateful for the interruption. She halted in mid-turn, her mouth hanging open in surprise. Harry turned to see what she was looking at and gasped.  
  
Albus Dumbledore was standing in the Gryffindor common room.  
  
The entire room was staring at him now. Dumbledore *never* went into the Houses' common rooms. There must be something really bad going on for him to start now.  
  
In response to that thought, Rondi's system jumpstarted into Fight-or- Flight mode. Her heartbeat and pulse picked up, as did her respiration rate. And in the corner of her mind, she was thinking, *Something's not right with Dumbledore*.  
  
The normally serene man was positively *jumpy*. His eyes darted about the common room until they landed on Rondi. Then his face broke out into a relieved smile and he walked over to her.  
  
"Miss Weasley," he spoke, "if I may have a word?"  
  
Definitely not a question. Rondi jumped up and followed him out of the portrait hall, into the corridor.  
  
As soon as they were outside, Rondi addressed the Headmaster. "What's wrong, Professor Dumbledore?"  
  
He smiled weakly. "What makes you think something is wrong?"  
  
Rondi simply raised an eyebrow. After a few seconds of silence, Dumbledore relented. "All right, there's something I'd like to speak to you about. But not now. Tomorrow. Three o'clock?"  
  
Not for the first time, Rondi wondered why he bothered framing his obvious commands as questions. She smiled at Dumbledore and said, "All right. I'll be there."  
  
Dumbledore gave her another relieved smile. "Thank you, Miss Weasley."  
  
"No problem."  
  
As she watched him walk away, Rondi realized that Dumbledore was getting on in years. He had never occurred to her as old before, but now, when she saw him so tense and uneasy…  
  
It was unsettling.  
  
*  
  
A/N: So? How did you like it? I've been wondering lately why I haven't gotten any reviews. Is my writing really that horrible? I would hate to think that nobody reads my story. So please, please, I don't care if you hated it or loved it, PLEASE review. If you don't like it, tell me some ways I can improve. If you do like it, great! Thanks! 


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